Toilet article.



UNITED .srATEs PATENT oEEICE.

MICHAEL IICIENEMY,` or Iowa CITY, IowA.

TOILET ARTICLE.Y

To allwwm 'it may concern."

Be it known tha-t I, MICHAEL MCINNEML a citizen of the United States,residing at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Toilet Article, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to toilet articles.

The object of the invention is to provide an article of this characterwhich shall be peculiarly adapted for employment by invalid, crippledand very corpulent people who experience great diliiculty in washing thesoles of their feet and their backs, and in the use of which a detergentmay be readily and effectively applied to these parts with requisiterubbing to secure thorough cleansing.

A further object is to provide an article embodying the above featuresand the further one of a cushion to be placed against the foot orinclined end of a bath tub to obviate the chill that results fromreclining against the exposed enameled portion of the tub.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of a toilet article, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts,Figure l is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a bath tub,showing the appliance of the present invention disposed therein. Fig. 2is a perspective detail view of the article. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view through the article.

The invention comprises a core or stiflener 1, which is constructedpreferably of wood, and may be of any'desired length, breadth andthickness. The core is covered with a plurality of thicknesses 2 oflinen, crash, toweling, or any other suitable textile material adaptedfor the purpose, the adjoining edges of which are secured together bystitches. On each side of the core, and disposed against the fabric 2,is a layer of hair 3, or any other suitable filling, which may be of anythickness, and is adapted to provide yielding surfaces that will, inuse, conform to the contour of the soles of the feet, and thus insuretheir proper cleansing in a manner that will presently appear. To retainSpecification of Letters Patent. Application filed. February 15, 1908.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908. seal No. 4,516,136.

the filling 3 in place, there is a shield or cover l provided, whichconsists of a plurality of layers or thicknesses of crash, toweling, orany other suitable textile fabric, which is held in position by amarginal binder 5- to which it is stitched, as clearly shown Vin Fig. 2.

Secured to one end of the article, as by being stitched to the binder,is a loop 6, of any suitable textile material, and which constitutes ameans by which the article may be suspended from a hook, or the like,for the purpose of drying. This loop also subserves the further purposeof a means of attachment to the article of a piece of webbing or tape 7,which may be of any length, and has secured to one end thereof, eithertemporarily or permanently, a sponge 8.

In the use of the device, say for cleansing the soles of the feet, thearticle is placed upon the bottom of the bath tub, as shown in Fig. l,and a sufficient quantity of water is allowed to iiow into the tub. Adetergent, such as soap, is now applied to the upper surface of thearticle, and the user, by rubbing his feet over the soaped surface, willsecure the object sought. The sponge may be used for washing the upperportions of the feet.

Where the article is used for washing between the shoulder blades, thewebbing or strap 7 is wrapped around the sponge, thus to hold it againstslipping any desired point upon the outer surface, and the article isthen propped against the foot of the tub, and, as the user reclinesagainst the article, the sponge will come between the shoulder blades,and, by working the back and shoulders, the desired cleansing may besecured. l

Vhen used either as a cushion, or in washing between the shoulderblades, the tendency of the article will be to work down, or into theinclination of the foot of the tub, and to obviate'this, means areprovided for temporarily anchoring the article in position. This meansconsists of two straps 9, of webbing or any other suitable material,each having one end attached to the article in any preferred manner, andits other end provided with a hook 9 to catch over the roll or rim ofthe tub.

After use, the article may be washed and hung up to dry, whereby to keepit in the best possible condition for use.

It will be found, in practice, that the article herein described Will behighly useful for the purposes Stated, and Will secure the objectsSought 1n a practical and certain nected with the article, and menne forteinporarily attaching the arliele to a bath tub. A toilet articlecomprising a, llat nonmanner. yielding core, ay yielding detergentapplying l clzumzand scrubbing surlaee Surrounding the core,

l. A toilet article comprising a l'lat nonyielding member, it yieldingdetergent applying and scrubbing Surface combined therewith, a eponge,and a llexible member connecting the sponge with the article and servingto secure the former at any desired position upon the surface.

2. A toilet article comprising a flat nonyielding core, a yieldingdetergent applying and scrubbing surface Surrounding the core, anabsorbent cleansing member flexibly conan absorbent clainsing nienlberllexibly connected with the arlicle, straps secured lo the article, andhooks carried by the straps lo engage the riin et a` bath tub,

ln testimony that l claini the lforegoiug as iny own, il have heretoallixed niy signature in the presence ol tu'o \\f'ilu 1se\=,.

lVitnesses M. l". luenen, J. W. Fnonnon'iNeun.

